Ocean Chemistry

The chemical properties of the ocean are important to understand because the marine environment supports the greatest abundance of life on earth. This life is largely made up of the same chemicals that comprise the ocean-water and salts. Water is present in the marine environment as a liquid, a solid, and a gas regulated by temperature. Heat causes the water molecules to move. The greater the heat, the faster they move until the movement causes the hydrogen bonds to break converting liquid water to gas. Water turns to vapor at 100° C. Cold slows down the movement of water molecules and their density increases. As water gets colder the hydrogen bonds override the motion of the molecules and water begins to crystallize forming water’s solid state-ice. Ice is formed at 0°C. Ice is, however, less dense than liquid water because it expands as it freezes causing the molecules to grow farther apart. The decrease in density causes ice to float. Density differences between different masses of seawater are one of the major driving forces of deep-sea circulation.

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